


Padd Pals

by drpeepee



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Canon Era, M/M, Pen Pals, should i change the warning or am i just paranoid?, the ending sucks im sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:42:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25296361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drpeepee/pseuds/drpeepee
Summary: Jim and Bones met on the shuttle from Riverside to San Francisco. Unbeknownst to them, they had already known each other for years.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Comments: 10
Kudos: 54





	Padd Pals

**Author's Note:**

> i had not expected such a postive reaction for my first writing! thank you all so much for your kind comments.  
> gonna be honest, i hate the ending on this one, but i hope you enjoy!!  
> -Anne <3

Jim was in 4th grade when the teacher assigned their big project.  
"Each one of you guys are going to use this program called PaddPal." Ms. Jones told the class.  
"Everybody has been randomly assigned another student from somewhere in the country to be penpals with. Just first names, we don't want any danger."  
Everyone was excited to talk to someone new.  
Well, almost everyone.

"I don't see why we have to do this," Jim complained to his friend, Hank. "We don't know these people, plus writing is boring."  
Hank shrugged.  
"I don't know, maybe our penpals will be girls."  
"Maybe. That'd be cool."  
At the front of the class, Ms. Jones gave each student a padd.  
"Now, these are technically school property, but you still get to take them home. Everyone needs to write their introductory letter to their penpal, saying who you are, what you like to do, and so on."  
While the teacher continued on, Jim turned to his padd. He had already decided that he didn't want to do it, but he also didn't want to get in trouble with the teacher. Reluctantly, he turned on the padd and began to write.

Dear penpal,  
I'm doing this as a school project, and you probably are, too.  
I'm in 4th grade, I like cars and motercycles, and that's it.  
Hope you have fun with this. I probably won't. 

Jim hesitated before he signed. He didn't really want to keep doing this, so signing his real name seemed pointless. However, he knew that Ms. Jones would probably check the letters before they sent, and he couldn't just put a fake name. Finally, he decided.

Sincerely, J.T.

About 3 days later, he got a response.

JT-  
I'm also doing this for a school project, and I feel the same as you do.  
I'm in 6th grade and I don't really like anything significant. I want to be a doctor, if that gives you any information.  
-Leo

Maybe this won't be so bad, Jim thought.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

Jim and Leo somehow became friends, despite not knowing much about each other. Jim knew that Leo's dad was a doctor and that he liked to ride horses, but he didn't know where he lived or even what his last name was. All in all, Leo was the best friend he had ever had.  
The two kept up correspondence via the app for 4 years, until Jim got the opportunity of a lifetime.

Dear Leo,  
Guess what? I don't have the patience to wait for you to actually guess, so I'll just tell you.  
I'm getting to go Tarsus IV! My aunt and uncle live there, and since my mom is off planet and Sam is out, Frank is sending me up there. I can't really remember ever meeting Aunt Sadie and Uncle Louis, but I'd honestly rather live with strangers than Frank.  
I think the padd signal there is weak, so I may send and receive letters kinda late.  
Yours truly, J.T.

Jim set his padd down and continued packing his suitcase. He didn't have much, just a few sets of clothes and some books. In the next room, Frank talked loudly on a comm, mentioning that he would be alone for the foreseeable future. Jim cringed, knowing that his mother really trusted this man.  
Later, on the shuttle to Tarsus IV, Jim's padd chimed.

JT-  
That sounds great! I'm glad you're able to get away from Frank. Honestly, I would probably beat that [REDACTED] if I ever saw him.  
It's fine if you're responses are late. Just do me a solid- reply when you can. I don't need to have grey hairs at 16 from worrying about you.  
-Leo

Jim chuckled to himself over the app's censorship. He had gotten used to it, as Leo had the combined vocabulary of a genius and a sailor. However, he was confused by the feeling he got in his stomach upon reading the last sentence. Jim put his padd away and leaned back to enjoy the rest of his flight, hoping that he'd be able to fill Leo's request.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

Tarsus IV was no where near as fun as Jim thought it would be.

About 3 weeks after he arrived on Tarsus, the governor declared the colony to be in a state of famine. A month after that, the culling began.  
Jim was there when Kodos began to sort everyone. He watched as the guards shot the people on the left half of the town square. He could still hear their screams miles away.

Now, he and the other children were safe. It had been 2 months after the culling, and 1 week after Starfleet's intervention. They were too late to do anything meaningful- all they could do was take the kids home.  
He and a few of his friends were placed on the U.S.S. Intrepid, a ship manned entirely by Vulcans.  
Jim sat in his assigned room on the starship in silence before grabbing his padd. He turned it on, it being locked up during his absence, and was met with a surprise.

3 missed letters.

Jim's breath hitched as he realized who the messages must have been from. He pulled his padd closer and opened them.

1/3  
JT-  
How's Tarsus? I hope you've gotten settled by now. I know moving can be tough, but you're in a better situation now.  
Make sure to make friends with the locals. Those kids are gonna love having someone new to play with.  
-Leo

2/3  
JT-  
Oh my God.  
I just saw the news about the famine. Do you have enough food to eat? How are your aunt's crops growing?  
Be safe, buddy, and please write back when you can.  
-Leo

3/3  
JT-  
I'm about to lose my [REDACTED] mind. Please, please, please respond soon.  
Seriously, respond. I love you, and I don't know how I'd end up if something happened to you.  
-Leo

Jim gasped when he read the last sentence. He wasn't expecting Leo, a guy he'd never met, to care so much. He started his response.

Dear Leo,  
I'm okay. Well, about as okay as one can be after that.  
My aunt and uncle are gone. I'm going back to Earth with Frank.  
Honestly, I'm not sure if I'll ever go to space again. I was born on doomed starship, and nothing good has ever come from the stars. Space is just disease and danger and silence wrapped up in darkness and I hate it.  
I love you too. You're my best friend.  
Yours truly, J.T.

Jim realized that he really meant it. He did love his friend, perhaps in a more-than-a-friend way. He sent the letter and put the padd away, deciding not to dwell on feelings for too long.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

After Tarsus, Jim decided to set some rules with Leo. He didn't like the fact that he was falling in love with someone he probably would never meet, and hoped that having ground rules would keep his feelings at bay.  
1\. barely fight the urge to hop on a shuttle with every response from Leo, and not knowing where he was prohibited that.  
2\. No names- "J.T." seemed to be a different person that "Jim", and he wanted to keep Leo away from the fuckup that he was for as long as possible.  
3\. No meet-ups- see #1.  
Nearly a decade later, J.T. and Leo were still at it. Jim wasn't sure if it was out of habit or necessity, but he wasn't planning on quitting any time soon. Leo was about to graduate from medschool and Jim... well, Jim was pretty much doing whatever. or whoever. Either way, Leo didn't need to know all that.

JT-  
I did it! I finally proposed to Jocelyn, and she said yes, for some reason.  
Our wedding's going to be this upcoming April. I'd invite you, but you don't want any meet ups.  
I don't get that, by the way. We've been friends for 12 years- albeit online- but still.  
I'll respect your privacy, though.  
Anyways, I hope you're doing well.  
-Leo

Dear Leo,  
Congrats, man! Based on what you've told me, you and her are meant to last.  
I'm sorry I can't come to the wedding, but it's probably for the best. I tend to ruin parties.  
Has it been 12 years? Holy [REDACTED]. That makes me feel old.  
I'm doing about as good as I can be. Hope the same for you, too.  
Yours truly, J.T.

Setting down his padd, Jim felt physically sick.  
Jocelyn was another med student who Leo started dating about a year and a half ago. Still, after all this time, the idea of Leo being with someone else hurt.

Jim decided to do what he always did when he felt down and headed to the local bar. He'd either return with a date or a black eye, but both would only momentarily numb his confusing pain.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

After getting married, Leo barely wrote back. Occasionally, Jim would receive anecdotes about Leo's kid (he had a kid!), to which Jim would respond with a generic "I'm so happy for you" phrase, and then not talk for months.  
Rinse, wash, and repeat.

The cycle was finally broken on the night of Jim's last barfight.  
He had managed to flirt with the wrong cadet and had gotten his ass handed to him by four others. Honestly, the only thing that stopped him was the cadets' commanding officer, one Captain Christopher Pike, was in the bar that night.  
Apparently, Pike knew about Jim and his family. He knew about the Kelvin and Tarsus IV, and even about Frank. Pike wanted Jim to enlist in Starfleet, which just seemed like a bad idea.

At least, it did until Jim got home.  
He collapsed on his bed as soon as he made it into his shitty apartment. He contemplated what Pike had said.  
"I dare you to do better."  
Well, he couldn't turn down a dare, now could he?

Barely sober, Jim packed up the few things he had. He put the things he really needed in a small bag in the floor, and commed his landlady to notify her of his leaving. Satisfied, Jim laid down to sleep before realizing the last thing he needed to do.

Dear Leo,  
We never actually talk anymore, but I figured I'd go ahead and let you know what's going on.  
I won't be writing back for a long time. I'm joining Starfleet, because I don't have many options left.  
I need you to know that I still love you. Each story you tell about Jo or Jocelyn just hurts.  
Okay, I have to go now.  
Yours truly, Jim.

The next morning, Jim stopped by his old house. He knew Winona was on shore leave, so he took this as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.  
After many goodbyes and at least three empty promises to stay safe, Jim rode his motorcycle to the other side of the Kirk property. Before him sat a large pond, blinding him with reflections of the eastern sun. Not even leaving his seat, Jim threw his padd into the water and drove away. Any response from Leo would just hurt more, he told himself.

Later, seated in the shuttle, Jim took in the man beside him. Not only were the two of them the only ones not in uniform, they both were the only ones that smelt of alcohol.  
"I may throw up on you." the brown-haired man groaned.  
Jim looked up, confused.  
"I think these things are pretty safe."  
Turns out, that was the wrong thing to say. The man beside him flipped a switch and went into paranoid mode, listing off all the worst-case scenarios.  
"Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence."

No matter how hard Jim racked his drunk brain, he couldn't figure out why that seemed so familiar.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

Jim and Bones (Leonard, actually, but that name was just so boring and Jim had already forgotten it) hit it off pretty well, and got assigned as roomates. The two had a simple dynamic- Jim would get hurt, Bones would fix him up, and then they'd go drink. They were inseparable.

It wasn't until their second year at the academy that Jim logged back into PaddPals.  
The software was just as shit as it was before, meaning the messages took forever to go through. However, the date on his most recent letter was only 4 days ago.

JT-  
I'm sorry.  
I know it's been years, but I needed to get back to you.  
Jocelyn left me. I didn't know what else to do- my life was pretty much over, and you were the only stable thing I had left.  
I think I love you too, and I'm an idiot for not realizing.  
I know you had a "No Meet-Ups" rule, but, if you still want to, I'd like to keep talking to you. I only have, like, 2 friends, anyways.  
-Leo

Jim sat frozen in his seat, long enough that Bones started to get concerned.  
"Jim?"  
"Jim."  
"Jim!"  
The third time was accompanied by snapping in front of his eyes. This time, Jim reacting, shaking his as if it would clear his thoughts like an Etch-a-Sketch.

"You good, man?" asked Bones, his voice showing great concern.  
"Never better, actually. An old friend of mine wants to get back in touch with me." Jim chuckled. "He kinda reminds me of you, all grumpy."  
Bones groaned.  
"I find that highly unlikely, Jim. Ain't nobody like me."

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

J.T. and Leo flirted for the next few months, both of them knowing that it would never go anywhere but still doing it all the same. Meanwhile, Jim worked himself to death to be able to meet his self-imposed graduation deadline. Midterms were coming up and, despite being well ahead of his classmates, he wanted to be as prepared as possible.  
Jim wasn't the only one. Even though he had already finished med school years ago, Bones had to review nearly everything he had already learned. On top of that, he had to do the required Starfleet courses, which included diplomacy, emergency survival, and others.

"Flying? Fuckin' flying? Not for me." Bones groaned one evening. The two roomates were in their dorm, Jim helping Bones sort out a studying schedule and Bones complaining about everything.  
"Yeah, but, like, you have to know how to pilot a shuttle. What if you get stranded?" Jim tried to reason with him.  
"If I get stranded, it's because SOMEBODY," Bones paused, looking pointedly at Jim, "left me, which means I have bigger things to worry about. Like, 'what did I do to get Jim to leave me on Planet Nowhere?'"  
"To be fair, Planet Nowhere is quite lovely this time of year."  
Bones grunted.  
"An old friend of mine once said, 'Space is just danger, disease, and darkness wrapped all up in silence.' Wise words, and I've lived by them ever since."  
Jim laughed.  
"Bones, that's what you told me when we first met."  
"Well, then, I was quotin' him. I oughta check up on him, anyways." Bones reached for his padd.  
"Apparently, he's in the Academy, too."

Jim scooted forward, interested in this mystery friend.  
"Who is it? Do I know him? Can I meet him?"  
Bones chuckled.  
"I don't know, probably not, and probably not." he ticked a finger off for every answer.  
Jim cocked his head, confused.  
"Wait, it's an old friend, but you don't know him?"  
"Well, yeah," Bones shrugged. "He's an online friend. Don't actually know his name, but we've gotten to know each other pretty well over the years." he paused, seeming to consider if he should continue or not.

"Hell, I think I love him."  
Jim gaped. The impenetrable grump, the doctor of distaste, Bones McCoy, in love?  
"Okay, so you're in love with a guy you've never met?"  
Bones hesitated before nodding.  
"And you don't know his name?"  
He nodded again.  
"But he's at Starfleet?"  
He nodded a third time.  
"And you haven't made any effort to meet him?" Jim was starting to be concerned for his friend's problem solving skills.  
"It's not that simple-" Bones began, but was cut off by Jim yanking him up by the arm.

The blond man clutched his friend's face.  
"Bones, this is just like some shitty teen romance novel. You gotta meet this dude, okay?"  
Jim moved Bones' head up and down in a forced nod. Bones let him do it, still in shock, before immediately smacking his hands down and returning to his spot on his bed.  
"I can't, Jim. I don't think either of us are ready."  
"Bullshit! Promise me you'll at least ask, okay?"  
Bones sighed, probably because he knew that saying no would just cause Jim to harass him about it for a month.  
"Okay, I'll ask him. Happy?"  
Satisfied, Jim grinned and went back to work.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

10 days later, Jim got a new letter from Leo.

JT-  
I love you. I really do. I know this breaks one of your old rules (I don't know if you still go by them), but could we meet?  
I'm in San Francisco, and if you pick a date and time, I'll be there.  
You don't have to, and I'll understand it 100% if you decline my offer, but I felt I needed to ask, since we're "known" each other for 15 years.  
-Leo

Jim sighed. He supposed karma was catching up with him- he insisted that Bones meet his online friend, now his pen pal wanted to meet up. Knowing how the universe just like to bite him in the ass, Jim immediately wrote a response.

Dear Leo,  
I love you, too. You're right, we should meet.  
I'm also in San Francisco (Starfleet), and there's a killer restaurant by the bay called Terry's. Would 7/12/2257 at noon work for you? I'm okay with rescheduling if you need.  
I will probably be in a brown leather jacket and jeans, since I have the day off from class, so just look for that when you get there.  
With love, J.T.

Jim linked the coordinates for the restaurant in the message and sent it. The date- was it a date? He hoped so- was set for the next day. That was more than enough time to bail if he needed.

No.  
Jim wasn't going to bail this time. Not on Leo.

When Jim finally woke up the next morning, he heard loud rustling from the other room, which meant one of two things:

A) Bones was looking for something, or  
B) a raccoon had broken into their dorm last night.

Both were equally likely and sounded exactly the same (Jim spoke from experience). He grabbed the only "weapon" Starfleet let him keep in his room, a metal baseball bat, and went to investigate.

He wasn't sure if he was relieved or worried by the fact that the answer had been A.  
See, despite being the overall "cleaner" roomate, Bones never had any idea where his stuff was, so when he lost something (which was often), the whole dorm ended up looking like it was hit by a tornado.

Jim dropped the back and walked over the piles of clothes and sheets before patting his friend on the back.  
"What're you looking for?" Jim mumbled, looking around for the coffee pot.  
"My green denim jacket. Told him I'd wear it. Can't find it." Bones said, grunting between each sentence. He continued to claw through his dresser as Jim walked behind him to pick said jacket off of the floor.  
"This it?" Jim laughed.  
Bones snatched the jacket out of his friends hand before turning to the mess. He coughed, before turning back to face his friend.  
"Thanks," he grumbled. "I'll pick it up later. I've only got half an hour before I gotta be there."  
"There?" Jim asked.  
"Me and my friend. He agreed to meet up at this restaurant by the bay, and the buses are slow, and I don't wanna fuck anythin' up."  
"Oh, awesome." Jim smiled, glad his friend took his advice.  
"And I need moral support. I told him I'd introduce you two."  
Jim sucked his teeth.  
"No can-do, Bones. I got a date, too."  
"What? Goddammit."  
"Hey, I'll bet he'll be fine with it. Besides, don't you got a bus to catch?"

Bones looked at the clock at the wall and nearly jumped out of his skin. He ran out the door with a half-assed goodbye and left Jim, who had time to kill. He didn't have to left for the restaurant until 5 minutes before noon because, unlike Bones, he wasn't deathly afraid of transporters.  
Eventually, Jim made his way to the transporter room. Cashing in a favor with an engineering cadet, he was soon standing outside of Terry's Bar and Grill.

The whole restaurant smelled like its name- beer and smoke. Jim took an empty booth and looked at the menu. He fidgeted with the cover as he tried to distract himself from the weird feeling his stomach.

"Jim? What the hell?" a voice drew him out of his thoughts.  
Bones stood, arms crossed in front of him. Jim looked at him.  
"Hey, Bones. Your friend here yet?"  
"I thought you had a date."  
"Yeah, I do, he's just not here yet."  
Bones scoffed. "Yeah, right."  
Jim was confused- he never faked dates.  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Jim, have you been going through my stuff?"  
"What? No!" Jim exclaimed, a little offended.  
"Then why the hell are you here, in this restaurant, wearing the exact outfit my friend said he would wear?"  
"Okay, now that's just a coincidence. Besides, I could ask you the same thing." Jim stood up. "Why are YOU here, at the exact same time and date as I told Leo, bothering me?" Feeling as if his point had been made, Jim sat back down.  
Bones froze. "Who?"  
"Leo. We've been penpals since I was a kid. He asked me on a date and he's supposed to show any minute now, so if you're done accusing me, beat it." Jim spit, good mood ruined.

Suddenly, Bones sat down and laid his head on the table.  
"Motherfucker," he grumbled as he sat up.  
"J.T.?"  
Jim looked up at his friend, brow furrowed.  
"No way. No fuckin' way."  
"Are you gonna tell me or am I just gonna sit here and listen to you repeat the same thing over and over?" Jim joked, trying to lighten the moment.  
Bones looked at his friend with a 'duh, idiot' kind of look.  
"What's my first name?"  
"Leonard, but I don't see what thats- ohh, I get it now." Jim interrupted himself when he understood.  
His best friend of fifteen years / crush was also his best friend of two and a half-ish years.  
"I'm going home," Bones said, standing back up. "Meet me there, because we need to talk."  
Jim nodded and turned back to the menu. Hell, I came all the way out here, he thought, I deserve to get a damn meal.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

After barely eating (too nervous), the blond made his way back to the dorm. Jim had exhausted every opportunity he could to postpone The Talk™ (he lost count how many cats he had moved). Finally, he arrived outside the dorm room he and his friend/crush/penpal shared. Jim was seriously contemplating running before Bones opened the door.

The two of them sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity before Bones spoke.  
"You were on Tarsus IV?"  
Out of all the questions he could have asked, that was the one Jim least expected.  
"Uhh, yeah. I was 13, so I think you were, like, 15 or 16?" Jim said  
"You remember the letter you sent right after?"  
"Vaguely."  
"You said somethin' about hating space, it being 'death and disease'," Bones airquoted. "I've stuck to that principle ever since."  
"I can see that."

Another few minutes of silence passed. Jim laughed before asking,  
"So Jocelyn was the one who left your bones?"  
Bones chuckled.  
"Yeah. Things just didn't work out."

Another period of awkward silence.

"I meant it, y'know?" Bones said, voice barely above a whisper. "Everytime."  
Jim looked at him and gulped.  
"I think I do, too."

That's the last thing either of them said that night. Bones pulled up a movie and Jim made popcorn before getting settled. Love was just too big off a topic to cover after all of that.

But if Jim fell asleep on the couch, leaning on Bones, neither of them were going to argue.

**Author's Note:**

> sorry about any bad formatting.  
> feedback is encouraged! be safe <3!!


End file.
